In The Lights
by 8cheshirekat
Summary: Ling/OC/Greed "Wha-?" "Greed! I wanna talk to Ling!" "Don't hit me again!"
1. Chapter 1: Places

(Ling/OC/Greed, Maes/Gracia) In a day and time when the darkness illuminates the senses, a deaf girl comes to Amestris and puts the Flame Alchemist in his place. Completely by mistake. But what does she want here in Central? And why is Ling avoiding her?

* * *

><p>Roy's eyes widened and he ducked as another huge dragon made of almost invisible wind went spiraling right passed his ear.<p>

"Shoot her!"

There was a loud cracking noise and bullets split the air.

The girl with the black hair and yellow shades gasped. She clapped and touched the ground once more. A huge wall of siphoning air funneled up before her and the bullets grazed her, leaving bumps and red marks. She was looking for a way around them. She was trying to get into the building behind them!

Suddenly, she heard a soft snap. Gasping, she backed away and reached for the white and silver pendant.

The moving air ceased and the bullets were whizzing by her. One stray bullet knocked the pendant away from her and it bounced over to Roy.

It's soft "ting" made Roy look down.

A white ying sign shone up at him with a silver clasp and chain. A broken link. It was almost as if the ying sign was glaring up at him.

Roy picked it up and looked up. "Wait!"

She had deemed it too dangerous to stay and ran off, bullets flying over her head. Still, the soldiers were about to chase her when Roy ordered them to stand down.

"She'll be back." Roy clutched the pendant close to his chest. "For something that means a lot to her, she'll come back for this. In the meantime." He turned. "Get all the wounded and count the missing! I know she sent some men flying across the streets! We need to locate and be sure everyone gets back to Central Command safely." He opened his palm and stared at the pendant. It was strange, but he felt like he'd known this was going to happen.

He was just starting to walk away when he saw someone he didn't expect.

Envy's body vanished around the corner.

Roy ran after him and stopped. Looking left and right, he realized that the busy street was the perfect place for Envy to hide. He gritted his teeth and went back to his car. He started to wonder if there was something going on behind the scenes and he was just missing it.

-Central Command roof-

She gritted her teeth and stood up. She felt empty without the chain around her neck. Still, she grinned after a moment.

"Nicely played, Flame Alchemist. Let's see if he can steal something else, eh?"

She looked down at the envoy leaving the building.

She crouched down and placed her hand so her fingers curled over the edge. Her black eyes glittered in the darkness and she clutched her hand. The building was going to be empty of all important pawns in her silly game.

The king was moving out of place and the queen was way far gone. The knight was still out and about and hand't returned.

That left the rook to deal with.

She swung down and into the building, into the brightly lit office space. She remained under the window and heard the envoy leave in the car parked outside.

Smiling, she pushed off the wall and sped to the open door. She peeked around the corner and saw her rook piece coming down the hall.

She spun into his way and raised her weapon.


	2. Chapter 2: Moving Into Place

"WHAT?" Maes gawked. "Really?"

She smiled. "Yup. Don't ask me. He kind of let me fight him."

Maes pressed his index finger to his chin. "Well, you are a girl. And you are small."

She giggled. "I have to wake up soon. Shall I visit you again?"

Maes' cold eyes became soft again. "Yeah. Be safe, Aleyshiea."

She saluted him. "Sir, yes, sir."

Slowly, her dark eyes opened and she stared into King Bradley's face. "YIKES!"

She fell off the sofa and hit her head on the corner of the table.

"SIR!"

He smiled warmly and held up a hand. "Calm down. You've got a few broken ribs. You need to be more careful."

She nodded and looked down at her torso. "Did I... get him?"

The leader gently turned her head.

"O. M. G! Is he-?"

Bradley shook his head. "He's still alive. You did a number on Armstrong. I must say, I'm very pleased with the results." He smiled. "Proved we had a blind spot this late in the evening. Although, what took you so long?"

She scratched her cheek. "You said not to wear my uniform." She gestured to her Xing clothing. "I'm not exactly dressed for Central and I got some unwanted attention."

Bradley nodded. "Go and change. I'm sure I'll hear about you sooner or later."

"Sir." She saluted him and dashed out the window, forgetting she was allowed to use the doors now. Still, the rush of air made her feel much more comfortable.

She twisted and rolled to a stop by the gate. She peeked out to be sure she could get away. She skipped out the gate, the wind ripping through her dirty hair. She was in need of a shower and a change of cloths.

"Wrath. How long are you going to keep her?"

"Father did say to keep her close. That's what I'm doing. Envious?"

Envy spat. "Look, what's so important about her anyways?"

Wrath's grin was almost on fire. "Father said she was the only one who can kill any Homonculi. We need to keep her close by."

Envy leaned on the window sill. "Did she live up to your expectations?"

The duo looked around.

The walls were damaged, holes the size of golf balls beside large holes. Clean cut slices across the furniture and through a pane of glass were marred by smashed pieces of what was left of a set of desks and stuffing from the sofa. Blood was lightly sprinkled on the floor.

Towards the upper part of Armstrong was a nasty gash across his collar bone.

And yet, she only had some broken ribs from Envy stopping her.

"She's going to be a handful if she discovers the truth." Wrath gripped his hands together. "She's certainly trying my last nerves."

-Aleyshiea-

She was just coming onto the streets when she spotted it. Movement in the corner of her eye.

She pretended like it wasn't there, but began walking all the same. She passed the alley and acted as if she weren't paying attention. She bit her clip as she pushed her bangs to the side and tucked it behind her ear. She scooped up the sides of her hair and twisted them into a small decoration around her ponytail. She clipped it at the bottom as her deep blue eye caught movement again.

She sighed and began to smooth out the sleeves of her uniform. "What do you want with me?"

Lan Fan stepped into the light. "What are you doing here, servant?"

She kept walking. "I'm living. You should to." She turned the corner and stopped.

Roy was leaning on the military car. "Let's go. I've got something to ask you."

She pulled a face before she nodded. "Sure. I just need to get to the office before the Fuhrer kills me for being late." She slid into the car as the driver and Roy sat in the back seat. "Are we picking anyone else up?"

"Just one. Stop at the military hotel."

Aleyshiea turned around and smiled. "You and Fullmetal are like brothers. Can't stop fighting, huh?"

"Aley, just drive." He pointed.

She gave a little laugh. "Right." She drove.

-Lan Fan-

"No mistaking it."

Greed came up behind her. He took his right hand out of his pocket. "Is she still...?"

"No. She's different." Lan Fan looked up at the face of Ling and the eyes of Greed. "Why does he need her?"

Greed shrugged. "But I got a frightening sensation just now. When you called her servant, the air felt heavy and I felt like she was dangerous."

Lan Fan sighed. "She's not that important."

Greed waved his right hand under his nose, like he was washing away a bad odor. "I know, I know. She was the doorman for Ling and the rest of the heirs. Still, is she an Alchehistrist or Alchemist?"

Lan Fan suddenly smiled darkly. "My grandfather and I will find out. She's not going to escape that easily."

Greed smiled wickedly. "But first. Let's see if she's really that scary."


	3. Chapter 3: Nothing Makes Sense!

Aley was leaning on the wall, her breath coming in hard. Roy could run! And she wasn't exactly in great shape to be running that fast.

"Aley?"

She shook her head. "Go ahead, Roy. I need a breather."

Roy sighed. "Why aren't you running to the Fuhrer's office?"

She shook her head. "Just go." She reached behind her head and her hands clasped over the black tattoo on her neck. "I'll be a long shortly."

When she was alone, she pulled her hand away. The trembles. They were the whole reason she was scared.

The State Alchemists.

"Al?"

She looked around, shocked out of her skin. "Sir!"

Bradley just smiled and touched her shoulder. "Much better."

She quickly saluted him and followed right behind Hawkeye. She had to stay behind now, since Hawkeye had taken her old position. She could see that Hawkeye was watching so intently that she was sure the blond would bore a hole through the proverbial head of the Fuhrer.

"Private Greene, will you mind conducting the investigation with the Fullmetal Alchemist?"

She nodded. "Of course, sir." She gave him a little bow before she jogged ahead of them towards the scene she was going to be witnessing again. She stopped and turned around and smiled at him. "Oh, and sir, I'm not going to make it to breakfast tomorrow. I have to go visit an old friend. Tell your wife I'm sorry." She darted around the corner. '_Maes, I'll come by for a visit._'

She stopped and saw the scene for the first time through the eyes of a soldier, not the attacker.

She'd done some damage.

She knelt down and picked up an old photo that had a cracked piece of glass. It was an image of Maes Hughs and Roy Mustang. She smiled sadly. Just under the prison, Roy's only piece of sanity was being driven mad from isolation. And here was his only friend in an image, frozen until time took away the ink.

"Hey!"

She almost dropped the frame. "Ah!" She quickly put it back and ran to Roy's side. "What's wrong, sir?"

Roy pointed. "You're the blade expert around her now a days. What's with these markings?"

She took out her glasses and examined the walls. She reached out and, with a trembling hand, touched the edges of her damage. She followed the motion and saw the damage she'd caused. She examined Armstrong's wound. She took a good look at the hallway where it had started. She took notice of the broken objects.

"This was planned." She put a finger to her forehead. "But I don't know how the attacker got away."

Roy shrugged. "I know it's late, maybe you should go home. This will be what? The eighth all-nighter for you?"

"Tenth. At least let me accompany Major Armstrong to the ward."

Roy nodded.

Aleysheia smiled warmly when he opened his blue eyes. "You'll be okay. It's not dangerous. It seems the attacker left you unconscious before they fled. Are you okay?"

Armstrong nodded and looked off, into space. "She was fast. I couldn't keep up with that speed."

Aleysheia nodded and hushed him. "Sleep. It's late. We'll get you to a proper place to be taken care of."

-Ling-

He crossed his arms and let the wind come to claim his attention again.

'_Hey, Ling!_'

"What is it, Greed?"

'_Don't you ever get cold? I mean, you're human._'

Ling smiled and reached into their pocket and pulled out a Yang sign. The chain was silver and the encasing of the enameled Yang sign glistened in the night lights. "She liked the wind and showed me how it's refreshing. You should try it."

'_Tch. You humans are so freaky. Whatever. Just be sure to not fall. It would be too much of a bother to heal you again, ding bat._'

Ling looked up at the sliver of a moon. "Greed?"

'_What?_'

Ling chose his words carefully. "Do you... want to meet her?"

'_HUH?_'

Ling gripped the Yang sign tightly. "The reason I got the drive to do this. Do you want to meet her?"

"Someday."

Ling smiled. '_Have fun._'

Greed jumped down. "Yeah, whatever."

Greed noticed her again.

The stranger who had struck fear without looking.

He watched as she took her hair down. She tossed the sides of her hair out, letting them settle how she pleased. She rubbed the back of her neck as she kept walking home. She looked weak and tired. It was almost as if her patience had been tried to it's limit.

Greed moved with Ling's speed. He reached out to strike her when she ducked. '_Huh? She knew I was coming?_'

Ling laughed. '_No. Look._'

"Ah! Lucky coin." She flipped it into the air before catching it. She got to her feet and kept walking. "Next time, chose a side I won't be looking down for."

Greed lurched forward and she stepped aside.

He turned and was about to strike her in the face when she moved just an inch and he got her across the right side. She had struck out and had just placed her hand on his chest before he had even reached her.

"What the devil are _you_?"

She smiled. "I'm just like you, and yet I'm not." She slowly moved her palm away. "I move fast because of Alchehistry. I see your movements because of Alchemy. But I fight with the movements of Xing."

"You're just a bundle of excitement aren't you?"

She didn't stop smiling. "Greed, Father won't be happy if you hurt me."

"WHAT?"

She opened her eyes and sighed. "If I show you, don't be hasty to freak out." She raised her right hand and used a handkerchief to wipe some colored paste off her hand. When she lowered her palm to him, there it was.

Greed backed away. "What in the world are you?"

She sighed. "I'm a creation from the first stone Hoenheim received. I'm his Patience."

"You're a homonculus?"

For a split second, there was silence.

She reached out, fast as lightning, and grabbed his face, shoving him down. The impact caused blood to rush to his head. She brought her tattooed hand back and made a claw. "You have to forget for now." A spark of purple light shot between her index and thumb. "I'm sorry, Greed. You're not right. I need you to be okay before the pawns can move for Hoenheim to save this country." She brought her hand down to his throat.

When she withdrew she recognized that kindness in those eyes.

"Ling."

He shoved away from her and dashed into the darkness.

"Oh, boy." She did a face-palm before she got to her feet. "That complicates _everything_, doesn't it, Patience?"

'_What of Kindness? He's not free yet!_'

She looked at her hands. "Yes. Kindness first, then we come along. Maes, just one more night alone in the grave."


	4. Chapter 4: Moonlit Kindness

Aleyshiea was pushing open the door when she stopped. "Oh, hello, General Armstrong." She blinked and noticed another girl in the Fuhrer's office. She blinked again and looked at the desk. "Sir, should I come back later?"

He smiled. "No, no, come right on in."

She nodded and pushed the door open a bit wider. She came to stand before the leader, setting down a small, hand-bound book. She smiled warmly at him. "I have these documents they wanted you to sign over for the book's re-shelving. Also, there's a few more meetings you have later this evening, sir."

He nodded. "Oh, meet your new comrade from the Briggs Fortress." He gestured to the other girl. "This is Major Lucy Drake. Major Drake was just coming in to let me know how the Briggs soldiers are holding up." The Fuhrer gave Aley a knowing smile.

Aley turned and her eyes widened.

A black streak pierced the blond hair. Pale skin was shocked to life by intense purple eyes. The black uniform of Briggs made the color on her pale features strike up a new sense of contrast. She had a strap across her chest that held up a staff on her back. It was made of metal and had a nice design all over it's surface. She raised her hand and saluted Aley, who quickly saluted back.

Lucy looked emotionless, but there was a sparkle in her eye that showed how she felt.

Aley gave Lucy another big smile. "I'm sure you're really a good person, but, sir," she whispered, turning back to him, "is it safe to be ignoring your duties for this?"

Bradley just smiled and waved his hand. "I'm sure it's fine. Nobody's dead. Nobody's complaining. I'm sure it's fine."

Aley sighed and was about to leave when she noticed the unfinished tea that was getting cold. "Sir..."

Bradley suddenly laughed. "I'll drink it."

She gave him a piercing stare. "I expect it gone, then, sir. You can't survive without fluids." She saluted and slammed the door.

Lucy sighed and shook her head. "That girl. Is she from Xing?"

"Why yes."

Lucy made a snort. "She's worthless, then. Nobody can survive too long in our military from across the borders."

Bradley laughed. "That's so true! Now, tell me about the Briggs, Major Drake."

Aley pushed off the door and started walking. The sun was setting, it was time to visit Maes at his lonely grave.

She stopped to change and buy some flowers. Maes loved white flowers. He said they were the pure things in life. He missed smelling and feeling them.

Aley took the path to Maes' grave. She sat, cross-legged in front of the grave and started dusting off the leaves and wiping the rain of a few nights off. She smiled and set the flowers down. "You're quite the popular one, aren't you?"

Maes rose to his feet from behind the grave. His white suite and blue tie were a good outfit for him to present himself in. "They come to visit me every other day. Alicia's getting big and Gracia's coping. Roy doesn't seem to be able to move on. Winry just stands there and cries." He smiled sadly. "Lucy came to visit me with Cisily."

Aley shook her head. "Do you miss her?"

Maes didn't answer, but looked around. "Why did he pick me?"

Aley looked down at the flowers as another funeral took place in the distance. She unwrapped the flowers and started to weave a crown. "Kindness chose you for that last decision you made. The one that cost you everything. Kindness saw what it was that you have. He saw your kind heart." She smiled up at Maes. "Out of your death, Kindness saw your life that you used to touch others and how you never gave up on people, no matter how hard it got on you." She looked down again. "I'm Patient and she gave me the strength to stand again."

Maes pulled a face. "You make it sound so easy to die." He pulled his right hand out of his pocket and scratched the back of his head. "I wonder if Roy will be happy."

A ray of sunset pierced Maes through the lower torso. Aley stood up and placed the crown on Maes' tombstone. "I've got everything set. The stones move and you'll see the sun in a whole new light tomorrow." She smiled. "Truth wants to see Lies brought down. He's willing to give us second chances to do this right."

Maes just laughed. "He'll give me a chance to say goodbye and you the chance to finally hear Ling call your name, eh, Xing-La?"

She smiled and patted his tombstone. "I'll be back. Just sleep until then, Maes."

-Greed-

He pounded his fist against the wall again.

And again.

"What the hell, Ling?" he yelled at his open hands. "What was that? Was she something important?"

'_I recognized her eyes. I've seen them before. But where...?_'

Greed made a fist when he noticed movement outside the window. Two people were rushing to the graveyard. He poked his head out the door and recognized the scent coming off of one of them.

"She's back." He ran after her.

-Charity-

"We're being followed, Patience."

Patience's black eyes shot to the side. "Charity, keep going." She peeled off and vanished into the darkness.

Charity clutched the strap of the bag as she ran. If she was being forced to do this alone, then Humility and Patience wouldn't be back for a long while. Still, she had to do this for Truth and to give the Alchemists a fighting chance against Father.

She jumped the fence and ran to Maes' grave.

She came to a halt and smiled. "Humility."

There was a huge plume of dust and Patience landed beside the two. "Quickly." She stood up. "I only held him down. He'll be back."

The clouds parted and light hit Maes and his gold eyes grew wide.

Humility turned and his gold eyes locked with Maes' before his gold hair settled. Charity stood up, her auburn brown hair settling on her shoulders and her soft brown eyes portrayed her smile.

"You're Von Hoenheim and Trisha Elric!"

Patience waved her arms. "SHH! We need to do this before the other souls wake for the night!" She started tracing a circle in the grass with her foot. She jumped in the middle and Humility drew his circle. When he was inside Patience smiled. "C'mon, hurry up, Charity. We need to hurry."

Humility and Patience stood on invisible Alchemy circles, until Charity stepped onto her own.

Three circles lit up the air.

But three other circles appeared behind Maes.

A circle formed under him and he felt the breeze. The smell of grass filled his nose. The bite of shocking electricity lit up his skin. The light of the moon pierced his eyes and he looked away.

He realized he could feel...

And then it all went dark.

Charity watched him pitch forward. She dashed forward and captured Maes in her arms. "Mr. Hughs?"

A voice very similar to his whispered.

Charity smiled and let Maes' body rest against the stone. "Kindness?"

"He... I feel his essence." Kindness raised a hand to his face. As he drew it back, the gold eyes were overturned to black eyes. "I see." Kindness smiled. He looked up.

Humility just smirked. "Oh. I have to go now." He activated the unique power within him and he vanished in a shock of lighting that raced across the sky.

Charity nodded. "Patience and I will take care of you."

He nodded. "Who are...?"

Charity shook her head. "Another time. Come. Let's get you into something warm."

-Lucy-

"Well?"

Lucy shook her head. "General, if you keep pushing, they're bound to push back."

"Silence!"

Lucy didn't laugh, but her eyes shone with a smile. "Then shall I try again?"

Olivier held out the receiver. "Fine. Just let them know I'm paying attention."

Lucy gave Olivier a little bow before taking the receiver. "Are you going to help? Or hinder them here?"

Olivier smirked. "Until I find out who did such minimal damage to Alex and still took him down with such ease."


	5. Chapter 5: Awaken to a Strange World

Maes' eyes flew open and he was staring into kind brown eyes. Shock took hold and he shot up. "What?"

She smiled and put her hand on his arm. "Calm down." She got to her feet, pushing the chair to the wall. "You're still in shock."

Maes scratched his neck. "I'm uncomfortable."

The woman smiled and started to dip a white towel into steaming water. "You're sure unsure of things, aren't you, Maes?"

He blinked. "How-?"

She let the towel fall over his head. The steam felt good against the slight chill he felt. "I'll explain in a moment. Firstly, you need to change."

He smiled wearily.

Moments later, he was standing in a small dinning area littered with papers from the military. At the center was a square table with five chairs and a stool. His eyes wandered over stacks of books up to the window.

"Oh, good." The woman came into the room and set down a bowl of hot soup and orange juice. "I see you found the shirt and pants we left you. But no shoes."

He looked down and curled his toes. "Where am I?"

Suddenly, he heard a mumble and spun about. His eyes wide, he stared at a face he thought he'd never see again. "Cisily..."

She was in disarray. Her hair was tangled and she was still wearing a set of dark yellow sleeping pajamas. Her dark brown hair stuck to her face and she was rubbing sleep out of her hazel-gold eyes. She had a slight tan and a bandage over her left pinky.

"What is it, little one?"

She yawned and walked passed Maes, keeping her hand on the wall. "'M hungry... I smell..." She stumbled.

Maes dashed over and felt her light weight fall into his arms. "Cisily?"

She looked up, blinking sleepily until she closed her eyes for more than a second. "HOLY-!" She had jumped up and a hand covered her mouth. "Mhnn mim mm gmm hmere?"

Lucy looked down. "Last night. While your fever was breaking. Ask Humility if we should do anything about him."

Maes looked up at the woman. Although in the moonlight she looked different, now in the sunlight of Amestris, her hair was a dark auburn, nearly black, and her eyes were milk chocolate. The way she styled her hair almost looked like the picture of Trisha Elric. But she was a bit thinner and a smidge shorter. She also had a scar from the cheek bone to the collar bone on the left side.

"Who are you?"

She smiled and touched her chest. "My name is Christy Joe. I'm the vessel that carries the partial Homunculus Charity. My husband is Mark Joe and is the vessel of Humility. This is Cisily Hughs, the vessel of Chastity." Christy touched Lucy's arm. "And this is Major Lucy Drake, the vessel of the partial Homunculus Diligence."

Lucy let go of Cisily. She looked away. "I've got to go soon. The Briggs doesn't wait for anybody. I need to leave and be sure the crest isn't carved in the snow." She waved over her shoulder as she slipped her white glove on. "Take care, Mr. Hughs."

He watched her leave and then turned on the two females. He pointed at Christy. "YOU! Explain it to me! I was dead yesterday when-!"

Christy smiled suddenly. "When you got a visit from a girl named Aleyshiea. I can explain while you eat."

-Lucy-

She saluted Olivier. "I'll see you in the graves, sir." She smiled. "Should I relay a message when I arrive?"

Olivier just smiled. "Let Miles know I expect a friendly slap."

Lucy saluted again. "Understood." She turned away and slid into the military car. She rolled down the window. "Olivier?"

She leaned down. "What is it?"

Lucy slowly turned to her. "Don't be so stingy." She rested her elbow on the side of the door and set her knuckles under her chin. "Don't miss me. I'll survive until you get back, I promise you that. Be safe, old friend."

Olivier kicked the car and walked away. "Whatever."

Lucy smiled as she rolled the window back up. When it was closed, the car rolled away from Central Command. "To the train station, if you please."

There was no answer from the driver and Lucy leaned forward.

Envy turned his head and smiled at her. "Too bad. Father wants to meet you, little girly. We've got many questions about the transmutation of a physical being for your new essence."

Lucy gritted her teeth. "You're not getting dirt from me, Envy."

Envy stepped on the gas and Lucy hit the back pretty hard. She growled as she sat up again. '_Kindness, you better hurry up and come around. You've got work to do._'


	6. Chapter 6: Two Steps Sideways!

Maes was sipping on some tea as Cisily changed.

He reached over his shoulder and knocked on the door. "You ready yet? I still need more info from your momma downstairs."

Cisily opened the door and stepped out. She was wearing a dark blue suit with a long skirt that was mid-calf. Her shoes were military issue and her blouse was silken white. She sighed, rubbing her elbows. "Let's go. Shopping and then going to a cafe. You should put on Humility's coat so you blend in."

Maes held up the coat and hat he'd been offered. "I'm good. I don't need my glasses anymore, so, I'm good."

Cisily nodded and held out her hand. "It's been too long, Maes. I missed you a lot."

Suddenly, a door at the end of the hall opened and Maes reached for the blade in his pocket. He gasped. "Aley!"

She blinked and smiled. "Close. How are you holding up?"

He just smiled and got to his feet. He hadn't seen her in real life until just a week before his death. "I'm still getting used to eating just for show. I don't feel hunger or need for sleep or anything like that."

She sighed and dusted off his shoulder. "All the Homunculus don't sleep. There's no need." She walked passed him. "We're both off today, so, Christy and Mark are taking us out for the day. We invited you so I can explain what she didn't get a chance to."

Ten minutes later Maes was walking down the street with one bag in his hand. Cisily was holding three. Aley wasn't holding anything yet. She was looking around. "Let's grab that and go sit by the fountain."

They sat down with some warm drinks. Aley was in the middle.

"So, she left off with how you died, right?" Aley got her answer and smiled, looking up at the clear blue skies. "For now, I'll leave that to her. Let me explain how you're 'alive' right now, Maes Hughs." She turned to him as Cisily took out some bread to feed the birds. "You and I are what they call 'leather bags', Maes Hughs. We're no longer living. Our souls are what bind the Homunculus to the physical plane."

Maes shook his head. "I know all that. Alchemy proclaims that what's taken must be exchanged."

Aley smiled and put her elbow on her crossed knees. She propped her chin on her palm and smiled much more warmly to Maes. "The law of exchange works only on living, breathing bodies. Our bodies need neither air nor water nor nutrients. Our bodies are made of energy."

Maes looked at his hand. His palm was bandaged. "What about the blood from the broken glass this morning?"

"We bleed because Truth wants us to be close to humans." Aley put her hand on Maes', lowering it. "We are strong and unique. Alchemy isn't what we have. We've got Alkahestry of the old Amestrian land of Ishval." She opened her own palm over his. "Because of that, we can teleport or move without people noticing. However, we are also weak and falling apart as we stand."

As if to prove her point, a flake of her skin peeled away.

Beneath was electrifying energy. It was as if she was holding a powerful force of nature just under her skin. It pulsed and flashed and began to mend the hole in her body with purple lightning. It was almost surreal.

"Now, do you have anything to ask?"

"How am I alive?" Maes looked at his shoes.

Aley leaned on his shoulder and watched Cisily dancing with a group of little girls. "You're alive because we gave up some of our energy for your life."

"Why?"

Aley sighed and closed her eyes, inhaling the smells around them. "There are eight of us. Truth, Patience, Diligence, Temperance, Kindness, Humility, Chastity, and Charity. We are the positive. We bring the good to the people around us. We counter-out the Homunculus you encountered." She reached across and gave Maes a gentle squeeze. "You were Kindness long before Envy killed you. You can counter out Envy."

"Who's who, then?"

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure that one out on your own. For now, ask me something else."

Maes looked up at the sky. "How long can we live?"

"We need to stifle Father's actions. We're all spread out to keep the circle in check. Von Hoenheim has been allowing us to find his bits of stones. We can use them to stop Amestris to die like Xerxes."

Maes suddenly looked down. His eyes widened and his heart constricted.

"Sorry, mister." Alicia picked up her ball. "I didn't mean to hit you."

He just smiled and patted her head. "It's fine."

"I'm so sorry!" Gracia put her hand on Alicia's head. "She was playing."

Aley shook her head and knelt down. "Did you want us to play with you, little girl?"

Maes opened his mouth.

Aley shook her head. "I'll tell you more later. For now, this cute little girl wants us to play ball with her. Isn't that right?"

Alicia giggled. "Mommy?"

"Yes, you can. I'll come back after I finish doing a bit of shopping." Gracia thanked Aley and then touched Maes' elbow. "Thank you so much. She needs this."

"Why?" Maes asked. He had hoped they would have moved on by now.

Gracia looked sad. "She misses her father. She still cries when she sees his friend, Colonel Mustang. I'm sure this would be refreshing. You and your friend are such a refreshing thing. I trust you not to steal my daughter."

He nodded and watched her go. "Why doesn't she see me?"

Aley turned Maes away from her. "Last question." She was holding the ball. She looked sad as she knelt down. "Because her eyes see someone else. That's how we are. We look similar in some way, but our bodies are much different. We survive because we have unfinished business. You and I have someone to speak to. But Lucy has a message that can change the way the plan goes down."

Maes shook his head. "Ow, brain turned to mush. I'll ask later. For now." He spun about and made a "scary" face at Alicia. "I wanna play tag!"

Aley smiled and got to her feet. '_Wonder how you're doing, Lucy? You're the oldest of us. What're we going to do with you, Kindness? Maybe we should have you use that already._'


	7. Chapter 7: The Pain We Feel

(**A/N: **Loriel, don't sweat it. besides, this is still got some explaining left D=! )

Aley sighed and set the folder on Bradley's desk. The sound was soft, but she leaned forward and touched the Fuhrer's head, tipping it back. "Ugh, you're sleeping again." She slowly let his head back down. She suddenly noticed that he had a disarray of papers on the side of his desk.

She knelt down and scooped up some of the pages on the floor when she felt the twinge of pain in her side. She grabbed her side and began to fall to the side.

Her eyes went wide and she hit the floor, immobilized by the pain. She curled up and started to pant. It hurt! It was too harsh, the pain. She suddenly reached out and tried to pull herself towards his desk. Aley felt her grip fail and she made a face of twisted agony before curling up silently once more.

As if to answer her silent screams, Bradley's eye opened and he quickly knelt beside her, his chair falling to the floor. She was trembling and holding her stomach. "Hey!" He suddenly looked to the open door. "I need help!" He looked down at her. "Where does it hurt? What's happening?"

Aley didn't answer, but kept herself in that position. The pain was almost unbearable.

Bradley reached down and scooped her up. He had to play the part.

-Maes, Cisily-

The pain suddenly shot through Maes like a bullet to his brain. He doubled over and clutched his forehead.

Cisily suddenly crashed down the stairs of the building and curled up beside Maes, screaming in agony. She was covering her head and was squirming.

'_What-?_'

'_Shut up and think about surviving!_'

Maes suddenly looked at his palms up close. "How...?"

"I'm part of you."

Maes suddenly looked up. It was pitch black, save for a small light. '_What's happening?_'

The voice suddenly came from his physical mouth. "Times up." He stood up. "You okay?"

Chastity looked up from where she sat. "One of them is in mortal danger. Do you know which one, Kindness?"

Kindness shook his head. "It's not us. It's gotta be one of the older vessels."

Maes blinked. '_What's going on?_'

"I'll explain it along the way. Chastity, get up. We need to find out." He looked through the windows by the door and started to open it when the pain increased. "The Homunculus are more advanced than just pure energy. We exist as the beings with the power to see into the portal without losing anything. We also awaken Alchemy inside of other beings. For now, just know that we awaken a dark power inside you. The only thing that draws it out is if one of us experiences pain."

Chastity came up beside Kindness. "We're the ones who feel if there's something wrong or if there's a disaster about to happen." She smiled at Maes on the inside. "Your sister died right after you saw her the other day. She died from a car accident. You died because Envy murdered you."

"Also, we inhabit dead bodies because the dead who speak the softest usually have unfinished business in this life. You never said goodbye to your daughter and wife. Nor did you tell Roy nearly all you felt like saying. Mark killed a soldier after the soldier killed his wife. That leaves him with the means to apologize to the soldier's family for killing their only son, who was a bit out there."

Chastity suddenly stopped. "Greed?"

Greed looked up from his perch on a bridge. "What?"

"What're you doing here?"

Greed looked back down at the water beyond his dangling toes. He leaned back. "Something feels wrong." He closed his eyes as his head leaned back. "Ling doesn't understand why I can't help him right now."

Chastity leaned on Greed and smiled. "What about Charity? Can she help you?"

Greed shook his head. "He's still new to this stuff. I don't know what he was expecting, but he's certainly not making it easier. It's like he wants something..."

Chastity's smile was sad. "Has he ever been so loved he cried?"

Maes gasped. He knew that feeling.

Greed looked at Chastity. "Women are only tools for enjoyment in the night. Nothing more."

Chastity looked into the running water. "Has he ever laughed so hard he cried with someone? Ever been held while he cried? Felt the fear of his loved ones wishing for his love? Ever been so safe he could show his weakness? That would be something he'd want."

Kindness nodded. "Why don't you go check on our old friend? Lucy went back to Briggs, so, that's where we're headed. Unless we can get some help from the soldiers up there."

Chastity suddenly looked up. Her ears heard something and she began to filter the noise of the city when she heard it. "It's Lucy!"

Greed nearly fell off the bridge. "What in the hell's with you?"

She pointed. "That way! But..."

Kindness nodded. "I'll go see what's up, Chastity. Greed, you go to Central Command and see about Patience. She'd be the girl with the mismatched eyes."

Greed nodded and shot off, into the tangle of stone.

Chastity reached out and touched Kindness' hand. "Well, we still feel, Maes. We still remember what it felt like to survive. We remember what it means to be human. There's too much at stake for the sake of Amestris." She smiled up at him. "We're not quite so small. We live and exist. But if I'm right, someone you know will recognize you when we get to Lucy."

-Greed-

He unlocked the window and stared around for a second before his foot lightly touched the ground. He started moving curtains and replacing them until he saw her.

She was bleeding from the mouth and a doctor was trying to stop the bleeding from her abdomen. Aleyshiea's wounds were obviously from an old wound. The edges were slightly scabbed, but it still bled.

But he was forced back as Ling rushed to her side. "Hey, are you okay?"

The nurse touched his arm. "Sir, you need to step back a moment. Let us get her stabilized."

Moments later, they came and directed him from the hall.

Ling eased the curtains open and saw that she was still, asleep, peaceful. Ling was coming to her side when he realized who she was. "No, she can't be..."


	8. Chapter 8: Enough Time?

Ling was kneeling beside the bed, praying to the gods she would open her eyes. It had to be her. It just had to be!

As if lightning struck her, she arched off the bed, gasping and staring into space. She suddenly collapsed and rolled towards him.

His hand slowly reached out and touched her upper arm.

She reacted by means of pulling back and then blinking at him. She gave a weary smile. "Young lord." She sounded groggy, like she hadn't gotten enough sleep. Slowly, she reached out and was inches from his face when she flinched to a stop. Her dark eyes suddenly widened with fear. "Ling?"

He gave her one of his natural smiles.

She withdrew her hand. "You're..." She suddenly sat up. "Is the Fuhrer here?" She threw the sheets off and put her bare feet on the floor. "I've got work to get back to."

"You died."

She froze and then sighed. Slowly, she turned back to Ling. "It's not like I asked for this body." She got back onto the bed to sit across from the kneeling prince. Her eyes suddenly grew sad and she reached out. Her finger tips touched Ling's cheek bone before she slowly traced a familiar line across the bridge of his nose and down to his lips until her thumb was on his chin and she slowly lifted her hand away.

It was the same way she used to touch his face after battle. It was as if nothing had ever happened.

Like they were back in Xing.

-Maes-

He touched his face as he fell to his knees near Roy. His head was throbbing, but his old wound hurt even more.

"Hey! Are you okay?"

Maes looked up at Roy. His hazel eyes met with Roy's black gems. The duo stared at each other before Maes felt a nasty throb in his side. He clutched at it. His hand clenched the cloth over his old wound. His body still remembered when it was that he'd been hurt.

"Mister, are you alright? Do you need a doctor?"

Maes reached out and touched Roy's shoulder. "I could use a ride."

Roy nodded and quickly brought his car around. When he opened the door to help Maes in, Maes was already standing again. His left hand still clutched at his right side. He hobbled to the car and slid into the back seat. Slowly, he breathed. "Anywhere in particular?"

Maes handed Roy the address to Aley's place. He leaned back. '_He's safe. I should try to keep by him for now, eh, Kindness?_'

Kindness agreed, but whispered; '_I think he recognized you, Maes._'

-Ling-

"So, let me recap your story. You were sentenced to death from the incident where you were accused of harming Mai Chang or Ting La. But right after the execution, you were possessed by this other person?"

Bei nodded. She had no reason to hide and had told Ling the truth. Her real name was Bei Xing. Named after Xing for her "regal" beauty as a small girl.

Ling crossed his arms and lowered his head. "You were considered Patience by a man named Von Hoenheim?"

"Yes."

Ling looked into those mismatched eyes. He leaned forward. "And you're actually dead? Unable to live and unable to die, yes? You're considered immortal?"

"That's right."

"But you've been employed by the Fuhrer for some reason, which you assume is to understand what and who you are?"

She nodded again.

Ling was quiet. He slowly got to his feet. "Does that mean that you're the equality of Wrath?"

She sighed and looked up at him. "Yes."

Ling stared down at her before the boiling question finally surfaced with the right wording. "What does it mean to be the positive energy against the surge of negative energy you mentioned?"

Bei suddenly looked sad. "It's like Yin to Yang. What one gives, the other gives equally. As Alchemists in Amestris say, it's Equivalent Exchange. Alchehysterists say that it's exchanging the energy between here and there." She raised her hand and touched the Ouroboros on the back of his hand. "We're the purple boundary between you and the human race."

Ling looked confused. "What does that mean?"

"You are red, the forbidden and unwanted and untouchable. The humans are the blue, the real and weak and familiar. We're considered purple, bred from the human souls that are trapped but not by Alchemy. Hoenheim paved the pathway back for us. There were six of us, until we completed the circle of seven." She stood up and smiled at Ling. "I wish you would have seen me. I'm a powerful person in combat now."

Ling's eyes softened. "Silly, Bei. I've always known you were strong." He had the urge to put his arms around his old friend and give her one of her old bear hugs. The last time he'd seen her was when she was only ten. Six years was too long.

Bei touched Ling's shoulder. "I have to be going. Something's wrong." She gave him a sad smile. She picked up her coat and slipped it on. "I'm sorry I didn't have much time with you, but I hope that clears up some of the air."

Ling just waved her off. "Go. I'll be fine. That was enough time for me."


	9. Chapter 9: Shadow Wind Alchemist

Maes was leaned up against the wall when Aley opened the door to the apartment complex. She blinked and turned to stare at him. "What's up?"

He pushed off the wall, his arms still crossed. He passed by her and headed up the stairs.

Aley quickly rushed after him. "Maes!"

The door to Christy's apartment was taped up.

"What-?"

Because Aley was still wearing her uniform, the military people let her through.

The detective shook his head. "It looks like a disaster in there. If you were close to Mark or Christy, you may want to back away right now."

Aley shoved his arm away from her body. Fury was evident in her eyes. "What happened here?"

He shook his head. "That's none of your concern."

She grabbed him by the collar. "Tell me what happened, or I'll put you to your grave early!"

"Are you threatening me? Because this is much higher than your pay grade, soldier."

She decided to user her status, rather than her uniform. She raised the silver watch with the dragon. It dangled in his face.

"Tell me what happened or I'll be sure to put you in your grave." She let it dangle in his face, knowing that her name was etched on the back of it. It was part of the marks of State Alchemists to don whatever they deemed worthy to their watches.

"You're not a real Alchemist of the military! Where's your stars?"

Aley suddenly held the watch closer to his face. She repeated the certificate. "This official document certifies that the nation of Amestris, prefecture of the Generalissimo, appoints the name "Shadow Wind Alchemist" to Aleyshiea Jonna Warren in the name of Fuhrer King Bradley. The State Alchemist shall follow all orders and policies of the military. The research assessment examination shall be held once every year. In the case that the State Alchemist does _not_ show signs of progress as a result of the examination, she shall be discharged from the services of State Alchemist. The State Alchemist is entitled to the use of ample research funds, unrestricted access to classified documentation, access to various governmental facilities, and a military rank equal to that of "Major", Mr. Detective."

He blinked. "You've memorized the whole document?"

"I had to. Now step aside. I want to witness this scene for myself." She felt Maes gawking at her behind her back, but simply smiled at the unmoved man before her. "Very well." She put the pocket watch away. "I'll see to it that the Fuhrer knows what you're up to. As in, nothing." She turned back to Maes. "Let's go. I've got to return to the office if he's not going to let me in."

Maes watched her before he gave a little salute to the detective. "Good luck on the case, sir."

When they were outside, Maes scratched his head. "So, what're you going to do, exactly?"

Her lips curved into an evil smile before she turned to Maes with a kind smile. "Nothing. He's not going to last long because Mark is an ex State Alchemist from the war of Ishval. He vanished soon after the war. He recently resurfaced with a wife, Christy, and was able to make a name as one of the best cafe owners for downtown." She looked up at the purple sky painted dark for the evening. "The lights of the city are mean to the sky."

Maes looked up. "Is it different in Xing?"

She blinked and turned to him. "How-?"

Maes gave her a knowing smile. "I've been in the records department before."

She sighed. "Then you know?"

His smile instantly faded. "That you were from Xing? Yes. Otherwise, I only know that you were declared a State Alchemist under strange circumstances. That's it. I didn't know your age, height, even your gender. Your file's been heavily redacted. I don't know why, but I assume it's for the same reason you're a Homunculus."

She just shook her head. "You're good, Maes. You read too often, though."

Maes shrugged. "What's the sky like in Xing?"

She pointed to the moon. "The moon becomes our only source of light in the small palaces we all live in. The emperor often gives us oils to light lamps, especially the Chang family. He feels that they are the most worthy people, as they live near starvation most of the time. When we prepare for battle, all the lights are out, except for the very top light in the tallest tower of the emperor's palace. It's our beacon, per se."

He came down the steps and looked up at the moon.

"And when the sun comes up, we rise to greet it. We work until the end of the day, doing our duties, until the sun begins to set. At that point, we all jump out on the streets and finally enjoy ourselves for the hard day's work we did." Aley suddenly made a fist and lowered it to her chest. "It's when the lovers come out and the stars wink back at us. We don't worry about how the night will end. We worry about the oncoming war. The bigger picture."

Maes put his hand on her shoulder. "And now?"

"I worry about the bigger picture."


	10. Chapter 10: Burial of the Future

Lucy's breath came in deep and it stung, but she didn't feel it.

She raised her bloody face, her blood-soaked hair clinging to her face. She grinned. "Is that all you've got?"

Father raised his hand and red lighting came down, striking at Lucy's head again.

Her head reared back and her eyes widened. The lights danced across her eyes. But the pain she should've felt just grazed her and ripped open her cheek and forehead again. But no screams of agony escaped her dry lips.

When she leaned forward, the breathing was harder. Still, she suppressed her healing powers. She had to bleed it out. This body needed to bleed it out. That was all there was to it. She grinned again. "So?"

He glared down at her. "Tell me."

She turned her head to show him her open wounds. "Go ahead."

He grabbed her hair and pulled her hair back. "You're persistent, aren't you?"

Lucy's glazed eyes just stared into space. She could hear the voices of the others to her pain. "She sings so softly, doesn't she?" she whispered to Father. The smile was sincere this time. "What a pretty sound."

Envy blinked and then tightened the chains holding her fists to the floor. The chains on her neck kept her from falling forward. He slowly crouched before her. "Doesn't hurt you?"

"She can't feel it. Nothing hurts her. She's unforgiving and relentless."

Envy grabbed her head and shoved her body forward, snapping the neck with a deafening crack.

But no screams.

Then they saw it.

Purple lighting crackled over her skin and her shocked face relaxed and she closed her eyes. Her body tensed, pulling at the chains before the purple lighting shot up and along the pipes, not penetrating. It made a sickening cackle as it pitched through her body, shooting in between her eyes and fingers and ribs.

She suddenly looked up, her eyes almost black. She smiled, blood dripping off her chin. "That's all you've got? She feels neither pain nor fear. You don't scare her."

Father raised his hand and grabbed her hair once more. He brought her head down, hard.

-Bei-

She tugged on Maes' sleeve. "C'mon. They're over here."

She lead him to a cluster of small headstones. She sighed and smiled at him, sad eyes looking into his curious ones. "There." She raised her shaky hand and pointed.

Maes came to the top of the small hill and stopped dead.

The parched earth with it's dead grass was sprinkled heavily with dead stones made of harsh stones. None of them had names, they all had numbers and "c", "i", or "a" to each number. It was almost chilling the number buried there.

She started to unwrap her bouquet of tiger lilies. "Come. Let's pay our respects."

"Who are they?"

She stopped and gestured for him to come closer, holding a finger to her lips. "They're burying a child over there."

He came down to see three Ishvalian men and one woman digging a hole. There was a bundle of cloth nearby that was elegantly decorated.

Maes couldn't help it. He approached them. "Do you need help?"

The man closest to him simply smiled and nodded. "An extra hand is very welcome, sir."

Bei knelt beside the grieving woman. She put her arms around the woman before slowly rocking with her. She suddenly began to hum an Ishval lullaby. The words were lost to her, but the hymn's tune rolled out like a natural thing.

Maes finally dug it far enough and looked at the headstone for the child. It was only marked with a little "i" with a number, "90157239". "He has no name?"

"Names are sacred to us. There are many things sacred to us." The father knelt beside the mother. "He died from old wounds he suffered as a baby during the Civil War."

Bei nodded and helped the mother lift the baby to his early grave. As they lowered it into the grave, Bei felt her heart drop again. The Ishval war had marred both Amestrians and Ishvalians alike. She smiled to the mother and handed her two tiger lilies.

"But I'm laying to rest only one child."

"One is to take home to remember that some Amestrians still are human." She smiled and gave the mother a hug as they buried the baby. "How old?"

"He was only ten." She gave him a little smile. "Thank you, Amestrian man." She gave Maes a little hug.

They continued home and Bei waved after them. "C'mon, we have to drop these off for the others."

He allowed her to place one on each grave before she wove the last ones into a wreath that she hung from the dying tree.

She stood back behind him. "That's it. Let's go home." She smiled brightly and touched his arm. "I wonder what's for dinner?"


	11. Chapter 11: Changed Your Mind?

Bei was stacking paper when she noticed a crumpled up wad near the trash can. She scooped it up and began to toss it in the trash when she noticed Selim's face. She dug it out and slowly unwrinkled the page.

Smoothing on the leather of the desk, she read a Certificate of Death from right before the conquest of Ishval. She ran her fingers over the face on the page, her heart going out to Selim for the mistaken identity.

For some reason, her eyes were drawn to the bottom of the page.

The one who certified that Selim was buried in Ishval was Fuhrer King Bradley.

She gasped and then heard the Fuhrer laugh down the hall. Bei folded the paper neatly and put it in her pocket before she turned to salute the Fuhrer and Hawkeye.

"Ah, Bei! I have something to ask you." His smile was sincere as Hawkeye closed the door.

She knew what was coming and lowered her hand, waiting.

"I hear you used your watch again. I thought we agreed you wouldn't do that." He reached out and his hand gripped her throat. "What did I say about that?"

She squeezed her eyes shut. "I understand, sir." He released her and she coughed as she stumbled to lean back on the desk. "I wanted to know what happened to my friend. She and her husband went missing last night. I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to use my title like that. It won't happen again, sir."

He grabbed her sleeve and threw her to the ground. "Don't use your title again unless it is necessary." He knelt down and lifted her to a sitting position. "Don't ever forget that." He touched her face, pulling her lose strands back. "Now, explain what happened."

Hawkeye looked surprised.

She kept her fear-filled eyes on the floor. "I got back to my apartment building. I found them taping up her home and keeping people out. I wanted to get in to see if the young girl they were helping get on her feet was okay. But they wouldn't let me in." She made a fist. "I need to be sure she's okay. She's only nineteen." She pressed her fists into her eyes, her shoulders shaking. "I can't lose someone again. I've lost too many already."

Hawkeye knelt down to touch her when the Fuhrer slapped one of her hands away. "But, sir-!"

"No, no, he's right." Aley wiped her eyes dry and smiled at Hawkeye. "I need to be able to stand strong. It's only been three days. There's a chance she's just hiding out somewhere. I just need to stand up and move forward." Her smile was a bit strained.

Hawkeye sighed and dug in her pocket for her handkerchief. "Then at least wipe your face."

Aley gave her a thankful smile before she used her sleeve to dry her face. "Can I... Fuhrer, sir, can I have a moment?"

Hawkeye was whisked away to stand outside.

Bei kept rubbing her face, her hair slowly coming lose from it's little style. "I'm sorry."

He smiled and set his hand on her shoulder. He brought her close, like he always did. "What's wrong?"

She grabbed his shirt front and felt something strange. She gasped and then brought her weight to the balls of her feet before standing up. She kept a firm grip and body slammed him to the floor. She twisted around and wrapped one leg around his rib cage and the other pinned his strong sword arm to the floor. She reached behind her and pulled out her gun as well as pulling on her alchemy sign.

It was on a thin, mesh sheet and it made for a perfect scratch across his face.

She pointed the gun between his eyes. "Who are you?"

"Me?" Envy's face sparked to life. "I'm here to be sure you play by the rules."

Bei placed the gun between Envy's eyes. "The Fuhrer never uses both hands to give me a hug. That was a quick tip." She smiled. "Who are you really?"

"Envy. Pleased to meet you."

"For you." She brought the mesh glove down again and this time, she left a lasting impression.

Roy suddenly opened the door and saw her pressing her hand down to the face of the Fuhrer. "Hey!"

She looked up and jumped back, releasing Envy. The motion of pulling her leg out had sent Envy spinning wildly through the air to land on his stomach. She was about to explain when she noticed the pendant in Roy's hand. She lunged for it, forgetting she hadn't mentioned a thing about it.

Roy backed up a step and tripped as he turned to run down the hall. He stuffed the pendant in his pocket before he slipped on a pair of his Alchemy gloves. He stumbled and then yelled. "Get outta the way! Outta the way!"

They dove away from him as he sent a spark of flame shooting back. To his shock and fury, she slid along the floor and used the wall to stop herself before ducking under the fire and running after him. Her eyes were set on him.

"Damn!" he hissed as he turned to jump out an open window. He soared through the air and landed to roll away in the courtyard. He turned to see her jump through a window and aimed her body right at him. "What?"

She brought her hands in front of her to show him her Alchemy symbols. The glowed and the air suddenly pulsed around Roy.

He remembered that sensation.

"You're-!"

Her hands made contact with his cloths and his jacket suddenly ripped in several places, as well as his boots and pants.

"Give it back!" she hissed, raising her hands. The symbols glowed again and, this time, she was bringing it to his face.

He ducked and then swiped low, knocking her to the floor before he snapped his fingers, right in her face.


	12. Chapter 12: Fallen

Roy sped through the courtyard towards her, igniting the world as he ran. He was determined to catch this intruder.

She jumped over his head before she reached down and grabbed his collar. Twisting away from him, she threw him aside. She was lunging towards him when he snapped and the fire exploded around the duo.

There was no scream of agony or cry for help, as she'd jumped back. Her foot had caught fire, but she'd shed her shoes. Landing cat-like with a twitch of pain from the stones on her toes. Still, she got to her feet and raised her hands together. Whens he opened her hands, the gloves she was wearing rippled and a funnel of air shot towards Roy, with lightning speed, tearing up the stones in it's wake.

Roy gritted his teeth and slipped around it. "What's with you?"

She put her hands together, her gloves still as the rest of her cloths rippled and formed around her. She was using wind Alchemy. But the way it tore through the stones was clearly not from just wind alone.

"What kind of Alchemist are you?"

She didn't say anything, just ran at him again, this time, her hands were revealed by the palms.

Roy knew those signs from countless books and countless research knowledge. They were the symbols that some medical Alchemists used for amputation. It was also used by the Alchemists who deconstruct using elements, such as Roy, and the decoration at the bottom designated the type.

Her sign for the right hand was amputation. Her sign for her left hand was that for deconstruction of air and moving air. Together, they could create wind that could slice right through anything.

Roy snapped his fingers and the fire exploded and he knew he made contact, but she came spiraling out of the flames, her wind shedding the flames. He gasped and took a step back before he resorted to combat. He grabbed her hand and threw her to the ground. As she went down, her face made contact with the stones. She turned onto her back and brought both her feet together, kicking Roy in the stomach, hard.

She put her hands so her fingertips touched the stones and used just that to push herself into a sitting position away form her landing spot.

Aley wiped blood from her lip and the scratches on her face. "Give me back my pendant!"

Roy blinked. He had _almost_ forgotten about it. Slowly, he reached into his pocket and lifted it out. "This is property of Amestris. You're under investigation for the destruction of the east part of the city as well as the near fatality of Major Alex Louis Armstrong!"

She lunged at him and Roy had no time to react. Her wind ripped right through him, sending him onto his back. She was atop him, using his own collar to strangle him and pinning his hands down with her knees. "Give it back!"

He glared at her. "No."

Suddenly, a bullet penetrated right through Aley's head, from the left temple to the right. It virtually exploded it's way out, her blood splashing to the stones as she began to fall onto Roy. But the wind gently blew her to the side and she landed beside him.

A tear that had stayed, finally fell from her eye.

Riza ran over and touched Roy's arm. "Sir?"

Bradley came to stand behind Aley. "So, you've met our mystery Alchemist."

Riza looked up as Roy sat up. "Sir, should we really leave her out in the open like this?"

Bradley smiled cruelly. "You should take her inside, since you were the one who mistook her for a threat."

Roy blinked and then looked right at Bradley. "What?"

Bradley's smile faded and he glared down at them. "Aley isn't from this country. You all assumed she was a threat." He knelt down and brushed the tear from her wide eyes before he closed them. "Did you know that she nearly died of starvation crossing the dessert while we fought the Civil War of Ishval? I found her in the wreckage of that." He rolled her onto her back as he spoke his next, lingering, stinging words. "She's never known a single human to be kind to her. To die without seeing her killer's eyes is just crude to someone who's never been treated like a real woman."

Riza slowly lowered her gun and it clattered to the stones at her side. "She..."

"Was beaten and whipped by her master. Had her over-flow of neglect. She was a slave for the Emperor of Xing. The last of her surviving clan of servants and slaves for the Yao clan before they were replaced." Bradley stood up. "Take her inside so she can at least be cleaned."

-GreedLing-

Greed felt the feeling drain from Ling quite suddenly. "Ling?" He reached up and touched his face, covering it with his hand. "Ling!"

'_She's..._'

Greed blinked as a tear fell from his own eyes. "Wha-?"

He withdrew his hand and fear gripped him. The moisture was tears. They were tears of sorrow, the kind he'd cried when he'd killed his old friend. The kind that he swore he'd never cry again. The ones that were seeping from Ling's heart.

"Ling, what the hell happened?"

'_Greed, hurry! We need to get to the Capital!_'

"Are you _nuts_ or something? IF we get there and IF we make it in, how do you expect me to stay calm?" Greed yelled, starting to run again. He jumped over a gap in the buildings. He didn't get an answer. "What's so special about this girl anyways?"

There was no answer, only a soft sob.

Greed looked inward and saw Ling.

He was curled up, hugging his knees and rocking back and forth. This wasn't the strong man who'd absorbed Greed. It was a scared boy, losing his precious things. But it wasn't like a brat getting what he wanted.

"Fine."

He left it at that.


	13. Chapter 13: Strange

Roy just gritted his teeth as his wrists were tied down tightly to the armrest. He still had blood on his sleeves from carrying Aley's dead body up to the Fuhrer's office.

Riza was tied in the chair beside him.

Bradley patted Roy's arm as he backed away. "Now, tell me, what sort of threat did you think she was?"

Roy looked away, but his eyes found Aley's body on the coffee table.

Her arm was limply hanging over the edge of the table, blood dripping off the back of her knuckles. Her uniform jacket was open to show the blood from her head that had seeped into her white shirt. Her eyes were eerily open looking down.

"I stepped into your office and she was pinning you down and had scratched you."

Bradley touched his cheek where there were slight red abrasions. "Is that so? And you mistook her for a danger?"

"But-!"

Bradley held up a hand. "She was brought into my personal guard to test my men and take care of threats to my life at work." He went over to her body and moved her hand back onto the table. "Her main duty is to act as a private of the military as well as my personal helper. Under the surface, she's an alchemist that was awarded the title under strange circumstances during the clean-up of Ishval. She performed many clean ups of military bodies." He turned to the duo. "Do you know how she survived?"

There was silence.

Bradley raised his fist and brought it down hard on her ribs. The cracking echoed and there was silence as he moved to the door. He slammed it behind him.

The silence was starting to become anxious when they heard a soft exhale.

Aley's arm slowly came up and touched her face. There was a cracking sound as she moved, like her joints were stiff. She suddenly coughed and started to roll onto her side.

"Th-that's impossible!" Riza hollered, leaning forward. "I shot you! You're still alive?"

There was no answer as she hit the floor. She was slowly crawling towards them, backwards.

-GreedLing-

Ling's gasp startled Greed and he stopped on the roof of the building. "What?"

Ling suddenly sounded frantic. '_Hurry! I fear something's happened to her! Please!_'

Greed shook his head. He tumbled down and through an open window into an office. He looked around and then stealthed his way through the hall and to a locked office. Greed couldn't just open it so, he backed up and kicked the door down.

There she was, covered in blood, slowly clawing her way up Roy's leg.

Her eyes were rolled back and the whites showed brightly against her bloody face. She reached up and grabbed Roy's collar as she pulled herself up. Slowly, her lips descended to his pinned arm.

She bit down.

'_No. No!_'

Greed's hand shot out and he pulled her back by the hair throwing her onto the table.

Roy hissed in pain and looked up. "What-?"

'_Let me._'

Greed agreed and stepped into the shadows.

Ling shot forward and pinned her to the table when she opened her mouth. "Stop this!"

Bei's eyes suddenly rolled forward and she stared right into Ling's red eyes. Her violent blue eyes smiled at him as she lifted herself up to his face. "Stop what? I'm hungry. I want his energy."

"What?"

Ling was kicked off and Bei slid off the table and walked over to Roy. She leaned down and bit his shoulder.

Ling saw it then.

There wasn't a bite mark, she wasn't really biting in. She was absorbing the energy from his body. Like she used to absorb the Dragon's Pulse when she was a child. But she passed energy back, like she was giving and taking.

When she let go, Roy was sleeping. She moved to Riza, who was calling out the Cornell's name.

"What did you do to him?" she sobbed.

Bei touched Riza's face with gentle hands. "Sleep. Nothing will hurt you now." She leaned forward and her lips pressed to Riza's eye and the woman seemed to slack.

Bei stood up and rubbed the blood off her face before she turned to Ling. "How did you find me? I was disowned and thrown out to fend for myself."


	14. Chapter 14: Kisses For You

Ling set Roy down on the sofa as Bei slowly lowered Riza to the other side of the sofa.

"So, to sum it up, you wandered the desert until you passed out from starvation?"

"And King Bradley found me. He took me in because he wanted someone to help him."

"When did you know you were a homunculus?"

She stopped and touched her palm. A sad face came to her. She looked away. "When I was in the desert. I died. I stayed in Xerxes in hopes someone would find me. My patience was my downfall." She rubbed the make up on her palm to reveal the dragon's head. "I died sitting there. It came to me and I was given a second chance with a new life and a new place where people weren't mean to me."

Ling was reaching out to touch the shoulder-length hair when he realized she'd cut off so much of the hair he'd admired on her so long ago. "You cut your hair."

"Yeah, again." She smiled at Ling. "It was longer when I encountered you before."

Ling watched her and he suddenly pulled the Yang pendant out of his pocket and held it out to her.

Bei's smile was sad. "I think I need to return my half. I'm sure someone loves you more now." She touched his hand, her fingers trembling as she lowered his hand. "I'm sure you're really a good man. I do miss you."

Ling slowly stepped closer. "Who are you?"

Bei looked away at Roy. She reached out and brushed hair away from Roy's face. "I'm still Bei, but I'm also Patience, the partial Homunculous." She stepped real close to Ling. "I'm just as strong as Greed, if not more. I can see what gives you strength and I can see what drives you to do things. That's what my eyes see." She gently brushed hair away from his face and she smiled at him.

Ling realized, a second too late, that it wasn't Bei, it was the Homunculus Patience.

Her lips touched his and he felt the electrifying energy that was empowering him to feel brighter.

Greed shoved her back. "What the-?"

She covered his mouth and held a finger to her lips. "Hush." She went to Roy and pulled the pendant out of his pocket. She dangled it before Greed. "There's something she has to do before she dies. Her patience can only hold for so long. She's quite the person to fear." She touched Greed's face with a gentle hand and a kind smile. "Until I find her a home, she's going to forever be lost. I can't change that. My name is Patience, Greed."

He blinked.

"I desire the strength and will-power. I wait for everything. I rush for nothing." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before she turned away. "You should run. He's coming back."


	15. Chapter 15: Wake Up

Bei was stacking the books when Roy came to.

"What happened?" He rubbed his neck before he gasped, standing up. "You! You're a vampire!"

She laughed. "No, not exactly."

Roy blinked and his hand slowly fell back to his side. "Then what are you?"

Bei turned to him and leaned on the desk. "I'm an Alchehistrists by rights. I can manipulate energy in my body to pass it through physical contact to another. I learned it from an Alchemist named the Passing Alchemist. I learned to pass energy back and forth, taking what I need and replacing it with stagnant energy. Equivalent Exchange, if I remember correctly, is the term you Alchemists use." She pushed off the desk. She dusted off Roy's shoulder. "You were Maes Hughs' best friend, weren't you?"

Roy suddenly backed away from her.

"I was told that by the man named Havoc. He said you cried when Maes died." She looked sad. "I've never lost a companion, Cornell. Tell me, do you visit him often?"

Roy sat down. "Yes. Every afternoon."

Bei sat down next to him. "The Fuhrer's authorized you to see this."

She turned away from him and lifted her shirt just a bit. There was a dragon tattooed across her lower back. The head was scared out. The dragon itself was nearly black, but the claws and the tail were fire-red.

Roy gasped and then touched her shoulder. "You're from Xing!"

"Just like you, I was a slave. But you were sent away to safety." She turned back to him. "You weren't sold, you were given to Miss Mustang so you could live a normal life. You're my cousin. I'm the only child who was left behind." She smiled at him. "Shocking, isn't it?"

"What's your name?"

"Bei."

Roy shook his head. "You're full name. I want to know my surname."

She smiled. "Bei is your surname. It means 'Flower'. The men of my clan used it as a sort of middle name. My name is Bei Xing." She looked sad. "I was named for the beauty of Xing as a child. I was told I would grow to be the gem of the servants, able to do and be whatever it was that was asked of me." She slowly lowered her gaze to her hands. "Our clan had the natural ability to understand complicated things. It was the gift that was passed between clan members."

Roy touched her forearm. "Is that how you knew how to counter me?"

She nodded and then suddenly laughed. "There's only one other of us out there. But he was wed into another clan."

Roy suddenly felt her whole body tremble. "What's wrong?"

"His granddaughter takes better care than I ever have." She covered her face. "I left behind my closest and dearest friend. I had no choice. I've died so many times. I just want to survive just once."

Roy remembered the tears she held in during the fight and the way she nearly cried when he wouldn't give the pendant back. He recalled the way her blood seeped down her face before she'd fallen.

"Why'd you bite me?"

She burst out laughing hysterically. "I didn't mean to. I was in a fit of agony. I had no other way to hold onto you. I didn't realize you were already pinned down." She rubbed the tears away and smiled at him. "I was in a hurry to restore my energy, I'd forgotten to look."

Roy shook his head. "You're nuts."

"Yes. Yes, I do believe I am." She jumped up when a shadow descended from the window. "Hey!"

Roy's eyes slowly followed her gaze as they widened at the sound of the voice from the sill as the window burst open.

It couldn't be...


	16. Chapter 16: Somethings Never Change

Maes made a wave. "Hey. What up, Roy?"

Roy blinked and then swallowed. "Wait! Wait! WAIT!" He made an x with his fore arms. "Stop. You're dead."

"Nope. I'm on a windowsill..." He shrugged. "So?"

"No, no, no, no, no! You were shot in cold blood by a Homonculus!"

"Well, yeah, there's that." Maes laughed. He hopped off the sill and stood beside Aley. "This little girl here made me all better. She helped me get back on my feet and all that." He ruffled her hair.

Aley shoved him off. "Okay, so, um, I need to explain something..."

"YEAH! You need to explain a lot!"

Aley waved her hands. "Okay, okay, okay! Firstly, my name, before I was killed was Bei Xing, named for my country and a slave for the Emperor of Xing and the Yao clan. I died in the desert and was taken in by Von Hoenheim, as a corpse. He revived me by placing one of the kind souls in his body into me. I know you don't believe me, but that's how I came to be the Homonculus named Patience. I took the most kind and patient soul." She scratched her cheek. "So, I found Wrath, the most horrible Homonculus in the creation since Father or the Dwarf in the Flask. I'm not sure why, but he's not usually happy with me. For now, all I've gotta say regarding that is that he took me under his wing as his, erm, shadow."

Maes suddenly covered her mouth. "I'm also not sure how to explain this, but we're not exactly 'alive' anymore. Also, for future reference, we're the best chance at slowing Father down in his conquest of Amestris." He smiled. "I'm Maes Hughs, true, but I'm also the partial Homunculus Kindness. I've finally accepted that I'm not able to return to this world and live as a normal person, but I'm happy to say that I'm just peachy being a stepping stone in the ways of saving Amestris."

Roy suddenly took a deep breath. "So, wait, Aley is Bei, the girl described as the only one who can take care of Selim. You're also called Patience. And you're really Maes, but you're also Kindness?"

"It's like that, yeah." Maes smiled. "I think that sums up what we've told you. Wow, what happened to her." He had just noticed Riza.

"I happened," Aley said calmly. "I have to go, Roy. Maes and I have something to do. He came all this way to help me get out of here so we can find our older sister." She saluted him and smiled. "I'm sorry I can't tell you more. I wish I could, but there's so little time."

Maes gave Roy a half-hearted salute. "See ya 'round, ol' friend." He gave Roy one of his knowing smiles before he hopped onto the sill. "Let's go."

When Aley jumped out the window, she rolled into a ball and Roy watched her land in the trees before landing and chasing after Maes, who touched her arm.

As he did, Aley's shoulder-length hair suddenly spread out behind her in a streaked white and blond hair. It wove itself into an intricate fish-tail braid. Her skin grew darker and she seemed to become slightly muscular.

Roy blinked. "I don't get it."

"Sir?"

-Lucy-

She smiled at Father. "What do you want?"

"Tell me!"

She shook her head. "She does not know what this one spoke to her of."

He grabbed her hair and began to pull her head back when he felt it. Something was coming, and faster than he'd ever felt.

Purple lightning cackled out of her hair and sped up his arm. She smiled softer still. "She wishes this one would not hurt her. She wishes that someday this one will not succeed in this one's plans."

He raised his fist and was about to make contact when a pulse in the air stopped him. "That was..."

Lucy blinked and then laughed, hysterically. "You feel him? You must know him!" She slowly moved her feet so they were below her. As she started to rise, the chains pulled on her arms. She dislocated all the bones in her arms as she got to her feet. Finally, she twisted and her arm slipped lose and it shone with sparkles of purple. "You should be afraid. He's not happy with what you've done!" She reached out with her left hand and grabbed Father. "They give me strength!"

Suddenly, a pulse ripped right through her and the air became static.

The smile was dark this time. "They're here, aren't they? You brought your babies home."

"Release Father."


	17. Chapter 17: The Circle

Maes looked to his side at her face and smiled to himself. She was nervous about approaching Father at this time. They finally had all of them, but Maes knew that he wasn't ready to use his skills in combat.

"Relax."

She laughed. "Easy for you to say."

Slowly, she turned her head to him. "I've gotten used to it, but call me Aley. It's my name and it's the name I want to keep."

Maes nodded. "Aley. Just relax, Aley." He smiled and sped forward. "Let's just get her back and then go home."

Aley's attention turned to Lucy's sparks. They were all over the place, but they were all moving away from somewhere.

-Lucy-

"You want to know?"

Father grabbed her arm and pulled her up. "Tell me, how did Hoenheim make you."

Lucy smiled, blood dying her teeth. "He made us from the dead." She raised her arm and began to strip off her thick, coal-colored coat. As it fell to the floor, it's white fur forming a crescent moon at her feet, she undid her blue uniform's jacket. As it fell she spoke again. "We all died by the hands of a Homnuculus you created. I was shredded to ribbons by your first creation, Pride." The white tee shirt showed the massive scars that laced over each other on her arms and down her neck. "I was lucky that he left my head and hands in tact. The rest of me had to be mended."

"That explains nothing!"

Lucy suddenly turned her back to Father. She raised her hands and the pulsating air suddenly became still. She brought her arms in tight, ducking into a ball.

At first, nothing happened, and then, quite suddenly, she sprouted something like a pair of purple-feathered wings. They fell off her body before she got to her feet. As she turned, it almost looked like she moved in slow motion.

Her hair moved slowly, as did she.

Father was suddenly aware that she had moved from her spot.

"She is the Homunculus of Diligence. Able to use the air to move. She has no place to stand anymore." She slowly raised her hands and her eyes opened. Her right eye was black and her left eye was normal, with a purple iris. "She is my vessel. Hoenheim spent many nights mending her to something like a human. She still has the absence of internal organs. She is granted with the power to move at such high speeds that she seems to be still to this one."

Father slowly sat down. "Gifted with powers, you say?"

Diligence smiled. She placed her hand on her shoulder and bowed to him. "You are not so lucky. Diligence speaks only for this one. She does not speak for the ones that stand about and listen of their own will. May Diligence speak only to you?"

They slowly backed away, but Father held up a hand. "No, whatever you have to say can be said in front of them."

A smile as evil as was human split Diligence's face. She lifted her head and the smile emanated a deep, unnerving aura. "Diligence was killed during the Ishvalian Civil War. She was mistaken for one of them. This one's first born, Pride, could not see that Diligence was one of the soldiers. Hoenheim came when Truth told Diligence to return home and wait for a man of gold hair to give her life once more. This one does not know, nor shall ever know, that Diligence's message must be heard."

He leaned forward. "Speak."

"Those that walk among the sacrifices are no more than the ants that begin the cycle."

Father's eyes suddenly widened. "The circle..."

The smile became crooked and somewhat deranged. "We are all and you are nothing. There is Truth and there is Lies. There is Patience and there is Wrath. There is Kindness and there is Envy. There is Humility and there is Pride." A smile more evil and more menacing came to her face as she lifted her torso, slowly. "There is Diligence as there is Sloth. There has always been Temperance alongside Gluttony. There will always be Charity as there is Greed." Her head was finally upright and her shoulders were square. "And there is always going to be Chastity for the Lust."

"The equivalent exchange." Father stared at her.

Diligence's missing eye suddenly rolled and a red eye stared back at him. "There is always something to oppose this one. In this life, there's always something that will stop this one and that will be Diligence."

"The message you delivered, send one back." Father pointed right at her. "Your two friends and you will send a message to Hoenheim."

Diligence's body never wavered. Kindness skidded to a halt beside her as Patience landed next to her.

Envy's eyes widened. "YOU!"

Kindness laughed. "Yes, me. I seem to be shocking a lot of people today." He smiled brightly at Envy.

"State your message to us. We will listen and deliver it to the Messiah." Diligence's eyes were stern.

"Tell him that I don't fear him. He's going down. It doesn't matter what he tries, I'm still strong enough to take him down." Father looked away. "Now, get out of my home before I do hurt you so badly he won't recognize you."

Diligence smiled warmly as Lucy's icy blue eyes came back. "Very well. Thank you, Father. Your hospitality was quite kind."


End file.
